Eponymous Properties of the Greater Alabama Council

In the Greater Alabama Council, there are dozens of properties and locations that have been named after an individual. The legacies of these individuals live in these locations, but their stories are often unknown or untold. The goal here is to identify those properties and write a 250-word bio for each person that has been immortalized in this way.

For a list of sites or objects that have been dedicated in honor or in memory of someone, see Greater Alabama Council Property Dedications.

Hugh M. Comer Scout Reservation

Hugh M. Comer was a former council president for Chocolocco Council.

C. M. Jesperson Dining Hall

C. M. Jesperson served on the board with Hugh Comer, then succeeded Comer as Council President.

Moran Colburn Trading Post

Mr. Colburn was an institution amongst the members of Achunanchi Lodge, where he served as the Dance Team adviser for more than 25 years and was recognized with the Vigil Honor in 1957.

Mr. Colburn spent 44 summers on summer camp staff, including 39 years at the Camp Comer Trading Post. The trading post was renamed in his honor at the 2009 Coosa Lodge American Indian Seminar. Mr. Colburn was present for this dedication ceremony, surrounded by friends and family.

He served as an Assistant Scoutmaster for the 1953 National Boy Scout Jamboree at Irvine Ranch, California.

In addition to the Vigil Honor, Mr. Colburn was recognized with the Silver Beaver and Silver Antelope Awards, the Order of the Arrow Founder’s Award, and the James E. West Fellowship Award.

Mr. Colburn became involved in Scouting in 1934 when he joined Troop 29 at the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind. He continued to serve Troop 29 for more than 70 years, touching the lives for more than 1,000 deaf Scouts. He served as Scoutmaster for 47 years, Post Advisor for 37 years, Indian Dance Team Coordinator for 37 years, and Cubmaster for 31 years.

Charles "Chuck" Tate Waterfront

Named for the camp's longtime waterfront director at Comer.

Flatt Rock Arena

• Named for James Flatt in reocgnition of his service as Lodge Adviser and oversight of the arena's construction.

Scott Nobel Chapel

• The chapel was built in memory of Milton Scott Noble (1954-1968)
• Scott was a Star Scout of Troop 7. He died of Leukemia on Easter Sunday, April 13, 1968.
• The chapel was given by Charles A. Hamilton, Arthur H. Lee, and other friends of the family in memory of an outstanding Scout who exemplified Scouting's highest ideals.

Big "A" Farms Handicraft Lodge

• TBD
• In memory of Eagle Scout Andrew Darnall.
• This may need to be moved to the dedications page.

Cecil Hugh Young Memorial Gateway

• The arch standing at the main entrance to camp is dedicated to Cecil Hugh Young. He was a charter member of the Choccolocco Council, BSA.

Judge William M. Beck Drive

• This is the main road going into camp from the highway.
• TBD

Laymon Hughes Drive

• Main road into Camp Jacobs.
• TBD

Lake Republic

• This was named for a company. I need to find the details.
• TBD

Lake Achunanchi

Named after the Order of the Arrow lodge that served Comer Scout Reservation and the Chocolocco Council from 1938 through 1999.

Camp A. C. Michaels

A.C. Michaels was a member of the national council. May have had ties to the Anniston area. He was present for the council banquet in 1957 where the Silver Beaver awards were presented.

Camp Allan C. Jacobs

• TBD

Frank Spain Scout Reservation

Chief Cross Lake

• TBD

Butler Dining Hall

• TBD

Harry Merril Road

• TBD

Camp Drake

Named after Joseph F. Drake.

Camp Quick

The first Boy Scout camp in the Huntsville area, Camp Quick, opened officially in 1925. It was announced on April 19, 1925, in the Huntsville Times, then given an initial inspection by National Council (led by Dr. E. E. McDonald of New York) on April 29th. Camp would be re-inspected before it opened that summer.

In its first summer, Camp Quick had a wood-framed dining hall that could seat about 120, 10 squad-sized tents (16x16), each with 10 cots in it, and a swimming hole. The swimming hole was created with a hand-built dam by Troop 9. They nailed a bunch of lumber to a tree that had fallen across a creek that fed into the Flint River.

The dining hall had four electric lightbulbs for lighting and a cooking range that had been donated by a local hotel that was upgrading their equipment.

There's a historical marker on Walker Lane in Madison County that pins down the location of his land. Here's the text from that historical marker:

• Side 1: On this site, inventor and early aviation pioneer William LaFayette Quick and his sons designed and built the first airplane to be flown in the State of Alabama. Construction began in 1900. Awaiting an engine, it took nearly eight years to complete. Quick's "Flying Machine" was among the first monoplanes to be flown in the United States when it went airborne on its first and only flight in April, 1908, in a pasture 1/2 mile northwest of here, across the Flint River. Restored, it is now on display at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.
• Side 2: Quick's mid-wing monoplane was made of wood harvested on the homeplace and cut in his sawmill and metal forged in his blacksmith shop. The design included an upright pilot position, fuselage-mounted engine, direct-drive propeller, three-wheel landing gear, and steerable tail wheel. On its only flight it sustained damage to its right wing and gear upon landing. Quick learned from this experience and designed an "Improved Flying Machine" which he patented in 1912. It included other unique features such as retractable landing gear, folding wings, ornithopter method of thrust propulsion, wing warp, and pitch control.

Council Service Centers

Goodloe Service Center

John Goodloe was a past Tennessee Valley Council president.

Others

• TBD